Alhambra's Final Curtain

As the entertainment center of Canonsburg for many years, the Alhambra theater was reduced to rubble in 1978 after sitting idle for 14 years. Owned and operated by the Beedle family, the Alhambra which they started in 1911 was rebuilt in 1926... the doors closed after 58 years of operation in 1964. 

Wahington Observer - 1978
Click on picture to enlarge

Bob Stuck shared a link CAT STEVENS - "Morning Has Broken"

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Tranquility...

Canonsburg Post Office Mural

Post by Dick Garboski.

1950's 'Big Snow' remains etched in memory

Downtown Canonsburg - Thanksgiving 1950
Click on any image to enlarge...

http://triblive.com/news/allegheny/4984337-74/inches-snow-storm#axzz2ld0ymuOV

A Few East Pike Street Landmarks still visible in the 70's

I really like this picture from a Canonsburg 4th of July parade from the early 70's... In the fore front shows Leroy's Music Shop's parade entry a "turtle float" covered entirely from carpet remnants... but

Even more interesting, are a few past East Pike Street "landmarks" (now long gone) that are still visible in the pictures background. 

The background offers a rare glimpse of the Continental Theater with its jutting marquee, next to the theater was George's Soda & Candy Shop, a very popular teen hang of the time and then the prominent curved glass bloc entrance of the Standard Bar.

Robert Edgar Hummell Jr.

Artist enjoyed fishing, boating

Robert Edgar Hummell Jr., 72, of Washington, died Monday, November 18, 2013, in Washington Hospital. 

He was born November 18, 1941, in Washington, a son of Robert E. Hummell Sr. and Anna Weaver Hummell. 


Mr. Hummell was a graduate of Canonsburg High School and attended the Art Institute of Pittsburgh for two years. He worked as a graphic artist and printer at Western State, as well as several other local printing companies, and worked for William G. Neal Funeral Homes for eight years. 

He was a very talented artist who enjoyed fishing and boating, and was a member of Washington Horseshoe Club. 

In 1987, he married Bernice Tarsia Hummell, who survives. Also surviving are two sons, Robert E. (Mary) Hummell III of Newport News, Va., and Dan (Dee) Lobozzo of Orlando, Fla.; two daughters, Vicki (Jeff) Rifgon of Canonsburg and Jennifer (Steve) Szalkay of Pittsburgh; a brother, Thomas “Sandy” (Mary Ellen) Hummell of Washington; a sister, Carol Belaz of Washington; and five grandchildren, Danielle, Dominic, Nicholas and A.J. Lobozzo and Seth Szalkay. Deceased is a son, Rick Lobozzo. 

Friends will be received from 5 to 7 p.m., the time of service, Thursday, November 21, in William G. Neal Funeral Homes Ltd., 925 Allison Avenue, Washington. Memorial contributions can be made to Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 525 Fairway Drive, Washington, PA 15301. 

Additional information and a guest book are available at www.NealFuneralHome.com.

A Few Brands From the Past

The mnemonic phrase "I Shall Always Love You Sweetheart" was used to help with the spelling of the Isaly’s name.

One of Rege Cordic's most memorable running gags at both WWSW and KDKA were fake advertisements for "Olde Frothingslosh", "the pale stale ale with the foam on the bottom." The beer was supposedly brewed by Sir Reginald Frothingslosh at Upper Crudney-on-the-Thames. In 1955, Pittsburgh Brewing Company began issuing special Christmas-season cans and bottles of Olde Frothingslosh filled with real beer. Since the Cordic ad read "The foam is on the bottom", the bottles & cans were packed upside down in the cases. The humorous labels changed every year and became favorites of collectors. The brewery (as well as a few other small local Pittsburgh breweries such as Tech Beer) released new editions of Olde Frothingslosh even after Cordic left Pittsburgh, continuing until 1982 and then reviving the brand in 1998, and more recently in 2007 (currently available)

The history of the Braun bakery in Pittsburgh stretches from 1889 until the closing of the North Side facility in May 1989, when production was moved to Philadelphia.

This advertisement utilizing the Pittsburgh Pirates Dick Groat - 1959. Braun's was very popular. 

White Swan Park

White Swan Park was a small amusement park on the border of Moon and Findlay townships in Allegheny County near Pittsburgh that operated from 1955 to 1989. It was located on the Penn-Lincoln Parkway West (then PA 60) at McClaren Rd., just 1½ miles south of the old Greater Pittsburgh International Airport site.

The park opened in 1955 with seven rides. It was operated by brother and sister Roy Todd and Margaret Kleeman, who built it along with Kleeman's husband. It occupied about 40 acres (160,000 m2) and featured a kiddie park and 15 rides such as the Galaxi, a merry-go-round, the Scrambler, a Ferris wheel, Tilt-A-Whirl, Mad Mouse roller coaster, a giant slide and a train billed as "the longest train ride in the Tri-State."

White Swan also had a pavilion of midway games (which was the actual entrance to the park), six picnic shelters, a Skee Ball building, a miniature golf course and a refreshment stand.

With construction of the new Pittsburgh International Airport underway in the late 1980s, a reroute of PA 60 (renumbered I-376 in 2009) was needed for access. After the park's 1989 season, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation bought the park. Dismantling of the park began the following year. The amusements and other artifacts were sold at auction. The Mad Mouse was moved to Lakemont Park in Altoona, Pennsylvania but was sold and removed in 2003. The Galaxi coaster was shipped to Lubbock, Texas. The last item from the park to be removed was the Giant Slide. The Tilt-a-Whirl is still in operation at Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, PA.

The small park was appropriate primarily for families with young children, and was seen by many in its area as easier to visit on a whim than the larger Kennywood amusement park, which dominates the Pittsburgh market.

Interesting Perspectives

An interesting perspective and view of the University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning with Forbes Field in the background 

A view of the crowd atop of the Cathedral of Learning witnessing Bill Mazeroski's home run to win the 1960 World Series 

A view of the Cathedral from behind the first base line side of Forbes Field.